Our top performing students are planning a variety of adventures after gaining straight A* and A graded A Levels, with many taking gap years while one has secured a place at Oxford.

Antonia Qualey, who got A*s in biology, chemistry, English literature and chemistry, is inter-railing around Germany, Switzerland and Italy then will do voluntary work before studying biology at university next year.

She is the first student in Brooke Weston’s history to achieve the accolade of outstanding student in Year 11 (with 15 A* or A graded GCSEs) and top performance in Year 13.

She said: ‘I worked hard and all my teachers were really supportive but I didn’t think I could get A*s. I found all my exams pretty difficult but because I had done all my revision I just put it to the back of my mind. I think the trick is to be quite relaxed, do my best and then it has all worked out.’

Adrian Matthew is going to study Materials Science at Corpus Christi in Oxford with his A grades in chemistry, maths, further maths and physics. He said: ‘The course deals with materials in engineering and industry and, if the opportunity is there, I might stay in research for a bit.’

Both Chanel Parmar and Tho-Vinh Nguyen are hoping for careers as doctors after each gaining As in biology, chemistry, maths and physics. Chanel is taking a gap year and continuing to work at a local care home before going to medical school. She said: ‘If you are going to do Sixth Form it definitely needs a lot of hard work but at the end it should pay off because it will get you where you want.’

Tho-Vinh said: ‘My grades are better than I expected. I will take a gap year and get some work experience and probably go back home to Vietnam for a month. Ultimately I want to be a doctor, I don’t want to settle for anything else. I have been told about Prague and know someone who is studying there so I might try that. These results feel like getting a gold at the Olympics, it is pretty amazing!’